256 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
the braveft, beft horfemen, and beft accoutred beyond all com- 
parifon of any in Abyflinia, and, when they pleafe, they can 
difpoflefs the Galla. Safe and independent‘as the prince of 
Shoa now 1s, heis ftill the loyalift, and-the'friend to monarchy 
he ever was; and, upon any fignal diftrefs happening to the 
king, he never failed to fuccour him powerfully with gold 
and troops, far ‘beyond the-quota formerly due from his 
province. This Shoa boafts, likewife, the ‘honour of being 
the native country. of Fecla-Haimanout, reftorer of the line 
of Solomon, the founder of the monaftery and Order of the 
monks of Debra Libanos, and of the power and wealth of 
the Abuna, and the clergy in general, of Abyflinia. 
~Gojyam, from north-eaft to fouth-eaft, is about 80 miles 
in length, and 40 in’breadth. It is a very flat country, and 
all in pafture; ‘has few mountains, but thefe are very high 
ones, and are chiefly on the banks of the Nile, to the fouth, 
which river furrounds the province; fo that, to a perfon-who 
fhould walk-round Gojam, the Nile would be always on his 
left hand, from where it went fouth, falling out of the lake 
Tzana, till it turns norththrough Fazuclo i into the racrt: 
of Sennaar and Egypt. 
Gojam is full of great herds of cattle, the largeft in the 
high parts of Abyflinia. The men are in the loweft efteem 
as foldiers, but the country is very populous. The Jefuits 
were fettled in many convents throughout the province, 
and are no where half fo much detefted. The monks of 
Gojam are thofe of St Euftathius, which may be called the 
Low Church of Abyfiinia. They are much inclined to tur- 
bulence in religious matters, and are, therefore, always made 
tools by difcentented people, who have no religion at all. 
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